Neighbors curious about what might be next for the NE corner of Avenue A and 13th Street

Some EVG readers have noted recent activity inside and out at the former Percy's Tavern on the northeast corner of Avenue A and 13th Street... work includes a new curbside dining structure...

Where we left off here... back in December 2019, the Pizza Cowboy reported that Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports was teaming up with pizza personality Nino Coniglio (of Brooklyn Pizza Crew and Williamsburg Pizza) on a bar pie pizzeria.

Not sure if that's still moving forward here. 

According to the State Liquor Authority, the liquor license is inactive here. The names of Larry Watson, who opened Percy's in 2010, and James Morrissey, who is involved with The Late Late and VNYL, are on the license.

In September of 2017, Community Board 3 did not approve Morrissey's application to open Honey Fitz at this address. 

A neighbor says that contractors have been working almost daily on interior renovations, adding a stage in the front half of the space on the 13th Street side and installing six TV sets, among other things. 

So with all those monitors and a stage (live music? comedy?), there's a sports bar/entertainment vibe here, but so far, nothing definitive. And no sign of future Community Board notices for a new liquor license.

Percy's quietly closed here in 2017.

H/T Sonya and dwg

Rumors: Barstool Sports and Williamsburg Pizza teaming up for a bar-pie concept at the former Percy's Tavern

[Photo from November by Steven]

The start of interior and exterior renovations last month at the former Percy's Tavern on the northeast corner of Avenue A and 13th prompted speculation that a new tenant was in the works for the space.

The Pizza Cowboy did a little detective work, and shared it on Instagram yesterday:

I’ve heard from five sources different parts of the same rumor — the partnership, location, and name — that El Pres, aka David Portnoy, aka THAT Portnoy of “Everybody knows the rules” Barstool Sports Pizza Reviews, is teaming up with pizza personality, chef, and consultant Nino Coniglio (of Brooklyn Pizza Crew and Williamsburg Pizza) to open a bar pie pizzeria in the former Percy’s Tavern space ...

The rumored name: Alright Frankie, a Barstool Sports catchphrase that already has its own merch line. You can read the Best Pizza NYC post for more details.

There isn't any confirmation yet on this venture, though the Brooklyn Pizza Crew shared the Instagram post in their Stories yesterday.

The space has been vacant for more than two years after Percy's closed.

In September of 2017, Community Board 3 did not approve the Late Late’s James Morrissey's application to open Honey Fitz at this address.

Updated 1:30 p.m.

Eater has more on Portnoy...

Considering Portnoy’s obsession with pizza and his claim that’d try every single pizza slice in Manhattan, a pizzeria seems like a natural fit for Portnoy’s first restaurant venture.

But whether New Yorkers will embrace him is a different story. In August, Portnoy got into a Twitter spat with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she called him out for threatening to fire any employee that discussed unionization efforts. He’s currently being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board over those threats. A Daily Beast report found that Portnoy has also allegedly threatened and harassed female sportswriters by making expletive-laden references to them either on the blog or on a podcast.

In addition, a rep for Nino Coniglio, the chef behind Williamsburg Pizza and Brooklyn Pizza Crew, told Eater that he is working independent of his other projects.

H/T Arthur B.!

Former Percy's storefront gets a fresh coat of paint

[Photo by Steven]

Several readers have noted the recently painted exterior of the former Percy's Tavern on the northeast corner of Avenue A and 13th Street... which led to questions about whether a new tenant is on the way in here.

Block association sources are unaware of any business in the works at the moment. The space has been vacant for more than two years after Percy's Tavern closed.

In September of 2017, Community Board 3 did not approve the Late Late’s James Morrissey's application to open Honey Fitz at this address.

As BoweryBoogie reported at the time:

Sick of the “broken promises,” the Avenue A block associations spoke of how Percy’s is detrimental to quality of life. They further alleged that bringing in Morrissey with a 4am liquor license, and who has a terrible track record with VYNL and The Late Late, would only exacerbate an already saturated area. Indeed, the latter operation is considered one of the worst offenders in the district, and carries a report card of more than thirty 311 complaints. Residents on East 1st Street regularly complain about noise, which first has to travel past a clamorous Houston Street and then through First Park.

The liquor license, which includes Morrissey's name, is currently inactive for the address... and it expires at the end of January, according to the State Liquor Authority.

It's also possible the interior was damaged during the fire upstairs in the building back in March. Here's a look inside...



The bar-lounge Fat Buddha just reopened next door after post-fire renovations.

[Updated] Report: Man arrested for street sign bike theft

The Post had a follow-up today on our item about the man who stole a bicycle on 13th and A by climbing up on a table and removing a no parking sign from its metal post ... Anyway! According to the Post, the NYPD arrested 51-year-old Haram Guzman ... and charged him with petit larceny and possession of burglary tools. Witnesses picked him out of a lineup.

According to the headline, the East Village was "stunned by brazen do-badder."

Were you stunned?

Updated:

WABC 7 had a report on this as well tonight...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Man removes alternate side parking sign to steal bike on East 13th Street

[Updated] Man removes alternate side parking sign to steal bike on East 13th Street

Here's the scene on the north side of East 13th Street at Avenue A Sunday morning around 7:15... Larry Watson, proprietor of Percy's Tavern, pieced this together from the surveillance cameras... showing a man arriving on the scene with a bag of tools...



He cut the tether wire from the restraint to remove a table from Percy's sidewalk cafe... he then placed it under the alternate side parking sign ... and climbed up to remove the street sign...



... the man then lifted the bike over the pole and calmly walked away...



Watson cautions anyone from locking their bike to this sign... "as it has been prepped for the right bike to be tied to it."



Here's a Google Street View showing the sign... and bike attached to the pole...



Updated:
Police have made an arrest in this theft.

Percy's Tavern owner cleans off poop-smeared Citi Bikes docking station on East 13th Street

Earlier, we noted that someone smacked a large piece of dog poop on the Citi Bikes docking station on East 13th Street and Avenue A. This angered Larry Watson, the owner of Percy's Tavern on 13th and A.

"I think this behavior is disgusting! As a dog owner, I hate when people don't bother to clean up after their dogs in their own neighborhood ... but this a childish," he told us. "Whether you agree with the bikes or not, protest or support it in an adult form. I cleaned it off!"